The United States and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen and evacuated staff late Tuesday and early Wednesday, officials said, amid security concerns following the takeover of much of the country by Shiite rebels, the Times of Israel reported.

Russia and Iran have signed an agreement to expand their military ties and resolve a long-standing dispute over the sale of a controversial air defense system to the Islamic Republic, the Times of Israel reported.

In the last two years, media outlets have published conflicting reports on Saudi King Abdullah's health. Just last week, Saudi Arabia's Royal Court announced that the king has pneumonia and is temporarily using a breathing tube. In fact, every time the king's health deteriorates, news agencies speculate on what will become of the Saudi dynasty and its leadership after the king's death. But some Shiite scholars think differently about the matter, believing that Abdullah's death will mark the beginning of a chain of great events that will shock the world, al-Monitor reported.

U.S. weapons intended for Iraq's beleaguered military are winding up in the possession of the country's Shiite militias, according to U.S. lawmakers and senior officials in the Barack Obama administration.

Leaders of the Islamic State movement in Syria and Iraq are infatuated with apocalyptic Muslim prophecies foretelling a titanic final battle of good and evil that even involves the re-emergence of Jesus Christ to join their cause at the end of time in the Middle East.

The euro weakened to an almost nine-year low versus the dollar amid investor concern Greece might leave the currency union and on speculation the European Central Bank has moved closer to large-scale sovereign-bond purchases.

President Obama announced sweeping changes to U.S. policy with Cuba on Wednesday, moving to normalize relations with the island nation and tear down the last remaining pillar of the Cold War, the Washington Post reported.

Nuclear negotiators have failed to meet a Monday deadline for a deal that would ease international concerns about Iran's atomic program and are poised to extend the negotiations for a comprehensive agreement until July 2015.

The US and five other nations trying to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran are turning away from attempting to reach an agreement by deadline and have started internal discussions on extending the talks, Ynet News reported.

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